Five Tips For Your Thanksgiving Day Fun

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It's just about here, Thanksgiving 2021. We are really looking forward to our Thanksgiving holiday. Last year we took some steps to be a little more intentional with our time and how we celebrated the day. We tried some new things and made family a priority.

You see, we didn't want it to be just another day. We wanted to make it special and fun. So we made the decision to make Thanksgiving spice up our day.

Now as we get ready for this year's Thanksgiving Day, we are working to create another day of family fun!

As you get ready for your big Thanksgiving Day, here are five tips that we hope will help you make your day special and fun!
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1. Prepare in Advance

We think a lot of families might already do this, but if not, this first tip can be a real game changer. Are you ready? Here it is, don't wait until Thursday morning to prepare and cook all your dinner dishes! As you plan your menu, consider what items can be prepared, even cooked in advance. Is there a side dish, a dessert, or an appetizer that could be made a day or two before Thanksgiving? If so, use Tuesday or Wednesday as an opportunity to prepare those dishes. This will help reduce the amount of work you will have do on Thanksgiving Day. It will also help free up time on Thanksgiving to spend with your family.

2. Involve the Family in the Preparations 

We have already shared some ideas relating to this tip. We have found it to be a lot of fun to involve our kids in the planning and preparation for Thanksgiving. We have asked for their input on the menu, how we want to spend the day, what games we might want to play, even included what parade, football games or movies we watch. By asking them what they think we should do, we share in the planning of the day. We have also included them in the cooking, table setting, and cleaning up so that we all contribute in some way. But even more than that, many hands make light work. Having the kids help reduces the amount of work that might fall on any one person. Plus, it can be a lot of fun when we all work together!

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3. Plan for Fun

As you think about your day, ask yourself, "What goals do I have for the day?" Do you want to enjoy the day as a family? Do you want to watch or go to a parade together? Do you want to play a family game of football in the yard? In simply having a goal or two in mind, you are able to plan for fun! So what's it going to be, working all day in the kitchen, or do you want to spend some time together as a family?

​We have found that when we plan for fun, we are more intentional and follow through with our plans. Last year, Breya and Amy came up with some fun Minute To Win It type games to play. It took them a couple of days to come up with the games and gather the props and materials needed. Then we had to set aside time in the day to actually play the games. When it was all said and done, we had a blast playing the games. So go ahead, and plan for fun!

Watch Last Year's Fun!
​Thanksgiving in the Higham House 2020!

4. Communicate Your Expectations

As both husband and wife and parents, we have learned that this next tip is always super helpful. When we have certain expectation in mind, it can shape how we see the event or activity play out. We have seen this over and over again. We look forward to something coming up and we picture in our minds what it will look like. Then when the day comes, if it doesn't measure up, we're disappointed and/or frustrated because it didn't meet our expectation. Most of the time this is a result of our own failure to communicate with others what we are hoping for. If we don't tell someone what we're hoping for, how will they know what we expect?

​Take some time to sit down with your spouse and your kids, or other family members and share what's on your mind. If you are expecting help in the kitchen, let them know that you will want help in the kitchen. If you would like to play football in the backyard, let them know so they can come ready to play football. If you want to sit and watch Hallmark Christmas movies all evening, let them know so they can make other plans...(just kidding, we love Hallmark Christmas movies). The point is, communicate your expectations.

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Celebrate Thanksgiving!

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5. Keep It Realistic

We all dream of the perfect family holiday gathering. The food is great, everyone gets along, and a good time is had by all. Who wouldn't want that? But we have learned that personalities can play a big role in how families interact and have fun. With this is in mind, be realistic in your planning. For instance, if your family doesn't like playing board games together, don't plan for three hours of playing board games. If playing a game of family football will bring on World War 3, then don't set aside time for everyone to head out back to to play. Know your family. Think about who is coming to dinner. What do they like to do? What do they not like to do? Then plan realistically. Sure, maybe a little push to get someone up to play charades is okay, but if a forced game of charades is all they remember of the day, than why push? Like in communicating your expectations, keeping it real is important.

​So there you go, five tips to help make your Thanksgiving Day fun. Our hope is that you might benefit from our mistakes, as each of these tips are a result of what we've had to learn over the years.

We are gearing up for a fun Thanksgiving complete with cooking, game playing, parade and football watching, and of course, our annual screening of our favorite movie, Elf (a Thanksgiving weekend tradition). Happy Thanksgiving!

- the higham family

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